A bone to pick with Christie's...

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Tony C.

·Oct 24, 2024·Ωf Jury member

Christie's has an auction coming up, and included is the Patek described (and linked to) below, with a rather eye-watering estimate. What rubs me the wrong way, though, is that they don't even include an image of the movement!

Yes, of course they will presumably send one if you ask, but FFS, if they think it's worth at least a half a million CHF, surely they could show the frigigin' movement. 🤡

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507204?ldp_breadcrumb=back

 

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JwRosenthal

·Oct 24, 2024

They had the back off too. Seems a rather glaring omission. But if you are paying half million for a watch you don’t need a movement, nor do you really care about time…the meetings don’t start without you.

 

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Dan S

·Oct 24, 2024

I suspect that with people keeping records and tracking sales to identify frankens, auction houses would like to minimize the information they put into the public domain.

 

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Deafboy

·Oct 24, 2024·His Holiness Puer Surdus

These high-end auction sites are terrible when describing their lots. Few pictures, and those that are provided don't show the real condition of the watch (look at the picture below: it looks like a rendering than a real watch)*. Poor and vague descriptions of condition. For this they want 26% premium from the buyer!?!?!?
eBay is a better market than these places.

* not saying it is a rendering, but a real watch doesn't look like this.

 

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JwRosenthal

·Oct 24, 2024

Let’s not forget the indirect Amazon $19.95 soft-tent lighting that has become a thing (think eBay store). The white on white on white bouncing around shows you nothing of value and can hide many sins.

I remember when the big auction house catalogues were the gold standard for beautiful documentary photography.

 

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SpeedyPhill

·Oct 25, 2024

Auction houses often have a good idea what high-end bidders will bid for certain pieces. Just look at the 2017 auction item that went $450,312,500 !